Perseverance Rover Reaches Jezero Crater Rim, Begins New Science Campaign.

 

NASA’s Perseverance rover captured its first view over Jezero Crater’s rim on Dec. 10, 2024, from “Lookout Hill,” using its right-front navigation camera on the 1,354th Martian day of the mission.

	NASA’s Perseverance rover captured the slippery terrain challenging its climb to Jezero Crater’s rim, with tracks trailing back toward the crater’s floor.

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover has successfully crested the top of Jezero Crater’s rim, marking a major milestone in its mission. After a challenging 3½-month climb, Perseverance has reached “Lookout Hill” and is now rolling toward its first science stop on the other side of the rim. The climb, which covered 1,640 vertical feet (500 meters) and included navigating 20% grades, has opened the door to a new phase of exploration in a region of Mars that promises exciting scientific discoveries.

During a media briefing on Dec. 12, 2024, at the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting, the rover’s science team detailed their plans for the next phase of the mission. The team shared insights into Perseverance’s successful ascent and what lies ahead in its fifth science campaign, named the “Northern Rim.”

“During the Jezero Crater rim climb, our rover drivers have done an amazing job negotiating some of the toughest terrain we’ve encountered since landing,” said Steven Lee, deputy project manager for Perseverance. “They developed innovative approaches to overcome these challenges — even tried driving backward to see if it would help — and the rover has come through it all like a champ.”

Since landing in Jezero Crater in February 2021, Perseverance has completed four science campaigns, exploring regions like the “Crater Floor” and “Upper Fan.” The new Northern Rim campaign will take the rover into fundamentally new geology, including rocks from deep beneath Mars’ surface that were ejected during the formation of the crater 3.9 billion years ago. These ancient rocks could hold key insights into the early history of Mars and its potential for life.

“We’re moving into new scientific territory,” said Ken Farley, project scientist for Perseverance. “The rocks here are among the oldest anywhere in the solar system, and studying them can help us understand Mars’ early crust and how it compares to our own planet.”

Perseverance’s first science stop will be at “Witch Hazel Hill,” a rocky outcrop that exposes 330 feet of layered Martian history. The rover will investigate these layers as it descends, offering a glimpse into the ancient environments of Mars. From there, it will continue its journey southward toward “Lac de Charmes” and then return to the rim to study megabreccia — massive blocks of Martian bedrock that may have been thrown up during an ancient impact event.

The rover’s primary mission goal remains astrobiology, with a focus on collecting and caching samples that may contain signs of ancient microbial life. These samples will eventually be returned to Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return Program, a joint effort with the European Space Agency. Perseverance’s findings will also contribute to NASA’s broader goal of preparing for human exploration of Mars.

With the Northern Rim campaign underway, Perseverance is poised to explore some of the oldest and most scientifically valuable regions of Mars, continuing its groundbreaking work in unlocking the mysteries of the Red Planet.